Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technician Diploma Program
If you’re looking for a hands-on career with strong demand and opportunities for growth, the Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technician Diploma Program can prepare you for entry-level employment in the HVAC industry.
Train for a Career as an HVAC Technician
HVAC technicians play an essential role in keeping homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, and industrial facilities comfortable, safe, and energy efficient. They install, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems that people rely on every day.
Our 900-hour HVAC Technician Diploma Program is designed to be completed in approximately 11 months, providing students with the technical knowledge, practical laboratory experience, and professional skills needed to begin a career in the HVAC field.
How Long Is the HVAC Technician Program?
The HVAC Technician program at Blue Cliff College is 900 hours, and designed to be completed in approximately 11 months.
HVAC Technician Program Curriculum: What to Expect
Students receive comprehensive training in residential and commercial HVAC systems while developing the troubleshooting and diagnostic skills employers value.
Throughout the program, students learn:
- HVAC system installation
- Air conditioning and refrigeration fundamentals
- Residential and commercial heating systems
- Heat pump systems
- Electrical theory and motor controls
- Blueprint reading and construction mathematics
- HVAC system design
- Commercial refrigeration
- OSHA safety practices
- Professional workplace skills
- EPA regulations and refrigerant handling
Hands-on laboratory training helps students apply classroom concepts using industry-standard equipment and tools.
Prepare for Industry Certifications
Certification can demonstrate technical knowledge and help graduates stand out to employers.
As part of the program, students prepare for and are required to successfully complete:
- EPA Section 608 Core Certification
- EPA Section 608 Type I Certification
- EPA Section 608 Type II Certification
After successfully completing both the program and EPA certification requirements, students become eligible to earn their HVAC Technician Diploma.
Graduates will also have the opportunity to sit for the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification examination, an industry-recognized credential that may enhance employment opportunities.
This course provides a study of Energy Efficient Building Construction and OSHA regulations. This course also includes an introduction to blueprint reading and the proper use of architectural and engineering symbols, relationship of views, and construction measurements. The student will learn basic construction mathematics and principles.
Electrical principles and applications are introduced. Topics include electrical parameters and units, direct and alternating current, series and parallel circuits, resistance, capacitance, inductance, magnetism, and equivalent circuits.
This course is intended to assist the student to learn how AC motors operate and how to install them. The course will give the student an understanding of how motor controls are designed and installed to provide control schemes. Efforts will be made to keep the course practical, yet to provide the theory about why a motor and an associated control system works.
This course includes the fundamental concepts and theories for the safe operation of hydraulic and pneumatic systems used with industrial production equipment. Topics include the physical concepts, theories, laws, air flow characteristics, actuators, valves, accumulators, symbols, circuitry, filters, servicing safety, and preventive maintenance and the application of these concepts to perform work.
This course emphasizes the fundamental principles for air conditioning and refrigeration. Introduction is provided in the theory and principles of the refrigeration cycle, basic thermodynamics, heat transfer, temperature/pressure relationship, refrigerant safety, refrigerants, refrigerant cylinders, and refrigeration components. Students learn how to operate testing devices and engage in extensive practice measuring temperature, pressure, voltage, amperage, resistance and power and other quantities.
This course builds upon theoretical concepts from previous classes, covering the components, applications, and installation methods for mechanical refrigeration and air conditioning systems. It introduces ARI standards, which are used for troubleshooting and repairing air conditioning systems. EPA regulations are also examined and applied to procedures like recovery, charging, and evacuation for Type I, II, and III systems. Students will gain practical experience with hands-on techniques in recovery, evacuation, and charging.
This course covers the identiication, diagnosis, and operation of various types of residential and commercial heating systems. This includes gas, oil, electric, compression, and hydronic heating systems. Students will learn about components, operational sequences, and troubleshooting techniques.
This course centers around the basic theory and application of heat pump systems, electrical components, and function. Students will learn to install and service heat pumps.
This course provides a study of the properties of air and results of cooling, heating, humidifying, or dehumidifying; heat gain and heat loss calculations including equipment selection and balancing the air system. Heat load calculations will be studied and applied in the design of refrigeration systems.
This course encompasses the study of components, applications, and installation of refrigeration and air conditioning systems with capacities of 25 tons or less. Lab included.
This course focuses on preparing students for the NATE Ready-to-Work Certificate and the EPA Section 608 Core, Type I, and Type II certification exams.
This course prepares students for job search success. Resumes are prepared and students learn interview and job search techniques. Important aspects of workplace dynamics are also covered including attitude, timeliness, dress code, professionalism, employee rights and responsibilities, teamwork and protocols involved when interacting with co-workers and clients. Professional associations and the value of certification and continuing education are also discussed.
Career Services for HVAC Technician Students and Graduates
Our Career Services team is committed to helping both students and alumni of the HVAC Technician program successfully launch a career that they have worked so hard for. We offer a wide array of support services to assist, including career development workshops, interview prep, and resume writing assistance.
In addition to helping you put your best foot forward, our Career Services staff work their regional networks to help make connections happen. You may find yourself meeting guest speakers from the veterinary field, participating in job fairs, or meeting a future employer through the networks of instructors or Career Services staff.
Although we offer this valuable assistance, Blue Cliff College cannot guarantee job placement for students upon graduation.
Enrollment Requirements
All applicants to the Blue Cliff College HVAC Technican program need to:
- Have graduated from high school (or equivalent)
- Be at least 17 years old
- Be able to meet the physical requirements of employment in the field
- Have a score of at least 12 on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam
- Meet with an admissions representative
Tuition and Fees for HVAC Technician Program
As of 2026, the HVAC Technician program at Blue Cliff College costs $17,575, including tuition, textbooks, fees, and graduation costs.
Financial Aid at Blue Cliff College
Many students at Blue Cliff College are eligible for financial aid, including federal student grants and loans, depending on the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Veterans who intend to use U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs financial assistance for education should let the admissions office know before registering.
Licensing Information and Accreditation
Blue Cliff College is:
- Licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration (Certificate No. C-736)
- Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)‡
‡The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) is a recognized accrediting agency by the US Department of Education.